American Splendor

Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor (1976–1991) was a landmark of autobiographical comics, chronicling the mundane frustrations and small triumphs of his life in Cleveland with unflinching honesty. Published by various small presses over 16 issues, the series featured Pekar’s own scripts alongside contributions from David Letterman, with art by a rotating cast including Joe Zabel, Bill Knapp, and Gary Dumm. Its cast of real-life characters—Pekar, his wife Joyce Brabner, co-worker Toby Radloff, and even Letterman as a recurring figure—grounded the work in a gritty, everyday reality that redefined what comics could be about.